The Oranges  

R

  90 min flat

Sep 30

Sep 23

Sep 23

Sep 23

Courtesy of ATO Pictures
USA (2011) • in English

David and Paige Ostroff (Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener) and Terry and Cathy Walling (Oliver Platt, Allison Janney) are best friends and neighbors living on Orange Drive in suburban New Jersey. Their comfortable existence goes awry when prodigal daughter Nina Ostroff (Leighton Meester), newly broken up with her fiancé Ethan (Sam Rosen), returns home for Thanksgiving after a five-year absence. Rather than developing an interest in the successful son of her neighbors, Toby Walling (Adam Brody),which would please both families, it's her parents' best friend David who captures Nina's attention. When the connection between Nina and David becomes undeniable, everyone's lives are thrown into upheaval, particularly Vanessa Walling's (Alia Shawkat), Nina's childhood best friend. It's not long before the ramifications of the affair begin to work on all of the family members in unexpected and hilarious ways, leading everyone to reawaken to their lives, reassess what it means to be happy, and realize that sometimes what looks like a disaster turns out to be the thing we need.

Club reactions by city:

moderated by Matthew Bernstein

A very light-hearted version of AMERICAN BEAUTY.  Charming, witty, with occasional script holes.  Nice way to spend the morning.

Happiness doesn't always come easily.  Sometimes you have to really work for it. This film illuminated that truism with the help of a great cast and a great script.

I liked the fact that it did not neatly tie up all the threads.

moderated by Michael Kerbel

Joy to the world, let family chaos reign. Delightful eggnog of a film, laced with humor and the painful messiness of real life.

I loved every moment, and I do not need to know exactly why.

Loved it! Carried realistic issues to the extreme with great effect. Felt uncomfortable, laughed a lot, felt sad. A great dramedy.

moderated by Peter L. Stein

I needed a fun movie today - this was that, but not silly. Enough serious material to anchor it, but heartfelt, warm and FUNNY! Great acting (except for Leighton Meester)

Great, lively script - kept the film moving over unexpected territory.

While the May-December romance outline wasn't believable, the film is so well-written and acted that resistance was futile. Having played Ultimate Frisbee in my late 30's, there's no way the Oliver Platt character would have lasted half a game in his shape!

moderated by David Sterritt

Only Hugh Laurie could do this without making the situation creepy!

A very real movie; could be happening in any suburb- probably is.

Sweetly complicated story about the messiness of finding love and intimacy and identity. Hugh is always a trip.